Pruning shears



May 16, 1944. R. R. HART 2,348,903

' PRUNING SHEARS Filed May 29, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Q q 10 INVENTOR Roy RJCaJ-L ATTORNEYS iBY I May 16, 1944. i R. R. HART 2,348,903

PRU-NING SI-IEARS Filed May 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I fi INVENTOR Roy Riar ATTORNEYS Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED ,srArEs PATENT oFFicE 2 ,34s,9c3 momma SHEARS Roy R. Hart San Jose, Calif. Application May 29, 1943, Serial No. 489,048

' 5 Claims. (c1. 30-254) This invention relates topruning shears of the hand operated, relatively heavy-duty type, and which as now constructed comprises apair of cross pivoted blades adapted to overlap, handles for manipulating the blades, and a rigid stop limiting the overlapping movement of the blades. This stop is arranged so that it does not function until after the blades have overlapped some distance. Since the member being cutis completely severed before the blades overlap for any great ,portion of their length, an appreciable amount of blade movement takes plac after such severance is complete and before the stop is engaged. The load on the bladesbeing then re leased, this additional movement takes'-place suddenly and is then suddenly stopped; "With any considerable amount of repeated use of the shears this imparts a very appreciable tiring shock or jar to the user, sometimes causing temporary paralysis of the wrists or' arms or otherwise physically injurying the user.

The principal object of my invention is to eliminate this objectionable feature by a particular formation of blades and the use of a resilient stop so arranged that the stop is engaged before come plete severance of the member being cut is effected, while allowing of the final movementof the blades into overlapping relationship to effect such complete severance. In this manner any shock or jar to the operator is'eliminated.

Also in shears as ordinarily constructed the handles are rigid with the blades and in order to compensate for the wear of the blades and the consequent greater movementof the handles toward each other than required to cause the blades to overlap, the handles are disposed at such an angle to each other, in order to give hand clearance at all times, that when the shears are fully opened, the handles are widely spread.

It is another object of my invention to avoid this objectionable feature by mounting the handles in connection with the blades so that their angle may be adjusted, in order that the handles when brought together may always be disposed at approximately the same distance apart irre-' spective of blade wear.

A further object is to arranged the blades so that they may be more conveniently projected into engagement with a member to be cut than is the case with shears as ordinarily constructed.

In all, my shears provide an eflicient labor saving implement and one which can be used with the least fatigue, while the cost of manufacture over ordinary shears is not materially increased.

structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. h 1

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:'

.Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of my improved shears partly in section as open, and: engaging a member to be cut.

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation-of the shears with the blades approaching a fully closed position and when the stop is initially engaged.

Referring now more particularly to'the characters of reference on the drawings, theshears comprises a hook-shaped cutting bar and a cooperating blade 2, the bar and blade having depending shanks 3. The blade and bar are dis} posed in crossing relation to each other asis customary, and are pivoted together by a bolt 4 adjacent the inception of the shanks.

The cutting edge 5 of the bar I, and which is concave for approximately half of its length from the tip down, is on a curve substantially the same as that of the convex cutting edge 6 of theblade 2, and is arranged so as to be concentric therewith when the blade approaches a fully closed or engaging position with the bar, as shown in Fig. 3. Each shank projects into a slot 1 cut in the corresponding handle 8 from its upper end, said slot extending from side to side of the handle and the shank extending lengthwise of the latter.- Each shank intermediate its-ends is pivotally connected to its handle by a pin-9 extending therethrough transversely of the slot or parallel to the bolt 4, and mounted in a handle reinforcing band or collar II] which is shrunk on the handle and prevents widening of the slot or splitting of the handle. This handle may thus swivel relative to the shank and blade about the pin 9 as an axis.

At its lower end the shank is provided with a row of holes ll disposed on a circular line concentric with the pin 9, any one of such holes being engaged by a removable pin I2 mounted in the handle and extending across the slot. In this manner the handle is easily adjusted to and held in any desired position.

"In order to take the strain off the pin 9, the shank is formed with lateral bosses I3 concentric with said pin and engaging the inner face of the collar l0 where the latter is exposed in the slot 1. The operating pressure is thus imparted from the handle to the shank through the collar rather than through the pin; the curved form These objects I accomplish by means of such of the bosses enabling the same proper engageand bar so as to fully sever the member M being I cut. The concentric arrangement of the cutting edges assures engagement of the stop before;-

com-plete severance of the member irrespective of the position that the latter may occupy'-between said edges, since these edges. naturally overlap practically simultaneously over their full extent.

Adl'llstability of. the, handles enables the same top b en brought together as" close, when the, implement is new; and When/the blade/is. Worn down; the bumper beingthenjcut. downlin length correspondingly if necessaryf The cutting bar ;is. dispcsed so that itfs'tipi is Well to one lside ar linahprojecting through; the bolt 4 substantially symmetrical to t'h hand1es-, and ,on that side of the ,line opgiositelthe corresponding shank 3. This greatly facilitates the initial engagement of rthe member; tol be {cut with .the "shears, since; the-latter. may be. pm! jected straight towa thej member insteaq ofl haying to swing the s ears-in a curve inorder to engage the hook shaped bar I abouts'aid mein her as i thecase with they-ordinary shear 1 f It will be noted that .thesocket A lis; cons ha r e n h ase th aim -w rt This requires .that the bumper ha cont-pressed d rce ig a e. 9 .t 1 it l phante tightly held -and will; not, be liabletto beeome, q seand .drop o t,

rom he; o o ng e r p o it iiithe readily. :S fi l- W :1 v ave,mf 2 2 1 1 a dill 19 a ubsta t al y ul ll th obiest of i ln entt pnas set o thher n, i 1

e pre ent nd s referre' o structio ethe.

;Hav a hus 2rbe.d my I n nt claim aae an i sef la d desire Letters-Patent is: v v

A; pli nin hears r o imi n a, a r; operating cutting members disposed in crossing; relation and adapted, to; overlap WllQIl fully- 195 wP V connec n h membera 1 Qlfifi e dswith hem mb r or mam; ulat Aha. me d i l a l st pm ansfu d eina e oine qvem nt Of t ember dieq nt bu before any overlap; thereof occurs, the mutting edge of one member being convexly cu.rvecl vvl ile the cutting edge of the other mernber is concave ly curved; said edges being disposed sothatsuba stantial portions thereof frorn the tip down are substantially concentric with, each n other and spaced slightly apartwhen the s top -is initially engaged.

. ecuraby:

2. A pruning shears comprising a pair of cooperating cutting elements disposed in crossing relation, a pivot connecting the elements, shanks depending from the elements, handles depending from the shanks for manipulating the cutting elements, one handle having a longitudinal slot cut down from its upper end and into which the corresponding shank extends lengthwise, a pivot pin parallel to said pivot connecting said one handle and adjacent shank intermediate the endsof gthe latt er to allow-of swivel movement of said one handle relative to the corresponding shank, means between said handle and shank to hold said handle set in difierent selected posif tions acollar secured on the slotted handle in which the pivot pin is mounted; the slot extending to the sides of the handle to expose opposed portions of the inner face'of the collar, and'late'rally projecting bosses formed on the shank: and engaging said collar face portions; he xsheins 9 FV 1-. QHCE PI i h h pivot -3. Agmt nin ,i ea om risin "a, i

fl 'u tina emher spe vv n rstol brupt y l vr a j orthg r at r rbl r a fZ- nlengthonly as thgh'leinbers are brought jto al fully closed position; a pivot connecting the members. h ndle i id w h th me rson inanipulating the same and yieldable stop means functioning upon closing movement of {the me r n; hers to; agpoint adjacent but short of the in-l i q a it ny wrath? f i id ortion; v. he.

th-t t hawii nas ssv to 4--' A;DE Z sh rss omn s net e air, pie eser t ng utiina l m nise i pose a nd r ssin i t g ta iv ti qnneqtin tthe: l mentss hanks ependin from he lemen h n less ep a om: t r-shf. later naai i at v t-i, ine mentl l; ne hand a av risla Qnait i a slot cut down from its uppe gendand 'nt ogwhich; .i;Q Q P9X iI. hank; xtend. n thwi ai har av eing; r lat v ly 1 rt om ated Wiiih; i handle; n-parallel vot connectingsaid one lhandlerandl di cmlt e ian st nterme iate the, ends I of f the 31 9 3.) 21 1 QQQ QIE HW f' h i t at e/ and1e; di. at the ra esl nsirth eotzanda removable ei' a di vetizpin pr j cting;acressthe handle ndgslot; and through a selectediione. H oi closely ;-spaced openings imithe o hfifihfillki J 4 g. shears comprising-a pairtofgcoa r. Ha min -memb rs d sposed" incros n lati a; nal dapted; o; ver p when, fully i connsefinathe mb rs andles ..-zhe;zmembers Qrmaninu1annathe me he: uttin s d ei; ne-m mbe l convexly curved -while th e cutting 1 edge of the, z o iqa e ycu v eadt ai leda beine is e ed l i ehsta tialPampas-t ese tr omfihes ndowni re ubs n i l riwnssniltig with. each;o her; and,,are spaced apaigtslightly a the mernb ers approach. a fully ClOS etir pO SltlOn; gel -afit i ilnfit o iin i l ie d b yw 3 closing'movement of the members avhenthe cut-j ting edges have reached 1 such concentriq relahmp 4 

